Here is 1 problem I have with the band, and it may not be everywhere, but they let every band parent, family member, friend, neighbor, long lost cousin in for free through a gate because they are "helping with the band". Then the halftime show starts and there are 3 people helping. Stop taking money away from the school by sneaking people in.

bigdog2003 wrote:Here is 1 problem I have with the band, and it may not be everywhere, but they let every band parent, family member, friend, neighbor, long lost cousin in for free through a gate because they are "helping with the band". Then the halftime show starts and there are 3 people helping. Stop taking money away from the school by sneaking people in.

With this, I wholeheartedly agree. Seems they just want a free ride. At Central, there name has to be on a list that is checked by an administrator at a separate gate, along with anyone else getting in free.

Vince Lombardi wrote:That' is a lot of seats that could be sold to someone who watches football. But the point is that at many schools bands have abdicated the traditional role they have played at football games and it sucks. Once they added a great deal to the Friday Night Lights environment. Now at many schools they are only concerned with those stupid band competitions who nobody but the parents really give a fart about.

That was the most ignorant jock sounding statement I've ever heard on A FORUM in my life. I was a football player and a marching band member. I've done both. Football season and Band Competitions are equally important to me. There are State titles in Band as well as football. That's why the Band members have competitions to prepare for The Upper and Lower State Tournaments. The top six from Upper and Lower State get to compete for a state title the next week. It's Marching Bands version of the playoffs. And believe me more people care about the subject of "bands" than the parents but you probably won't understand where I'm coming from because of your ignorance on this subject. Do yourself a favor and stick to football and stop worrying about the bands moron.

The BLACK and GOLD is BACK !!! 2012 CLASS 4A DIVISION 2 STATE CHAMPIONS

when there were no speakers or music being piped in the band had a role. Now the speakers play music and the band sits there. I wish all school would either drop the band and use that money to but a better speaker system or quit with the radio music and the band play more often.

not all schools do this. Our band at Blue Ridge Rocks whether at home or on the road. As far as not wearing uniforms early most of them dont have their shoes and things yet because their band shoes have to be ordered and you cant measure them until August when you know exactly how many you have in the band. Our band plays national anthem and the fight song as well as the alma mater! Also lot of band uniforms can not be washed they have to be dry cleaned so many bands dont wear their uniforms til it is cooler. Our band was appalled at Mann when Mann's band stood there while a national anthem was played over a speaker!

oh and just one other thing. Band directors pay do not include football games its for competitions and teaching or at least it is in Greenville county so technically they dont have to be at the games but they do. Yes they pay for their own buses and yes they pay for their own gator and trailers to pull props and pits onto the field. We are proud of our 7 time state championship band and they get the same support from fans that all our teams get!

Let's see where do we start. Maybe with the fact that first of all it's considered an art and unlike football which gets mega funding (Through the school and booster club), all the busses they need, band's receive very little money through the school district, unless there is a rich heritage and/or awesome booster club and community support. So they depend on and get most if not all of their funding through booster club fund raising events, which most parents are involved in.

Or maybe the fact that most parents pay for their kid(s) to be in the band and they pay rental for an instrument that cost enough to outfit 4 to 6 football players.

Or maybe it's they sit in the stands and cheer for the team just as much if not more than some of the fans.

Maybe it's taking the time to learn and making sure the music is right for the show.

Maybe it's the time it takes to have the show written and getting the anywhere from 30 to 200+ kids choreographed and synchronized.

And last but not least, bands do compete. And when they are out there on the field all day and into the night on Saturday and football players are sleeping, resting, having fun or whatever, these kids are in full dress uniform top to bottom, at attention, being in perfect unison, they just can't take their hat or shako and run to the sidelines and get a drink of water of take a rest.

Believe it or not, there are schools out there whose football teams are just... well I will leave it at that, and people actually come to see the BAND.

Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now. This was not intended to offend anyone, but if it did, I apologize. It is intended to offer a little insight to the band programs and educate those who didn't have any idea what a band does or goes through.

Now, to address the 1 song issue mentioned in an earlier post, that my friend is nothing more than a preparation and organization issue. Our band leaves the stands about 1/2 through the second quarter to tune and lineup. When the halftime buzzer sounds they start marching right onto the field.

My son is in the band. Yesterday, I went to a big competition in the upstate. I thought about this thread when I heard one school's band was called the "outdoor performing ensemble". It wasn't even called a marching band!

These kids work hard and are funded at a much lower level than sports. Some band booster clubs run the concession stands at games and that is where they make most of their money.

Even that is short shrift sometimes. At BC, the band booster concession stand is in the far corner of the stadium in a very low traffic area. The athletic booster club gets the prime high traffic spot. Oh well, life isn't fair.

Enjoying the high school football wherever I have lived: Hemingway, Northwestern, Gaffney and Brookland Cayce. Forever a Wofford Terrier fan!

I don't even enjoy the games if the bands aren't there. The band sets the mood. I was never in the band, I played football. However, I love the band. Especially when I was in school. They got me fired up for the game many times. And during the game many more times.

Let's see where do we start. Maybe with the fact that first of all it's considered an art and unlike football which gets mega funding (Through the school and booster club), all the busses they need, band's receive very little money through the school district, unless there is a rich heritage and/or awesome booster club and community support. So they depend on and get most if not all of their funding through booster club fund raising events, which most parents are involved in.

Or maybe the fact that most parents pay for their kid(s) to be in the band and they pay rental for an instrument that cost enough to outfit 4 to 6 football players.

Or maybe it's they sit in the stands and cheer for the team just as much if not more than some of the fans.

Maybe it's taking the time to learn and making sure the music is right for the show.

Maybe it's the time it takes to have the show written and getting the anywhere from 30 to 200+ kids choreographed and synchronized.

And last but not least, bands do compete. And when they are out there on the field all day and into the night on Saturday and football players are sleeping, resting, having fun or whatever, these kids are in full dress uniform top to bottom, at attention, being in perfect unison, they just can't take their hat or shako and run to the sidelines and get a drink of water of take a rest.

Believe it or not, there are schools out there whose football teams are just... well I will leave it at that, and people actually come to see the BAND.

Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now. This was not intended to offend anyone, but if it did, I apologize. It is intended to offer a little insight to the band programs and educate those who didn't have any idea what a band does or goes through.

Now, to address the 1 song issue mentioned in an earlier post, that my friend is nothing more than a preparation and organization issue. Our band leaves the stands about 1/2 through the second quarter to tune and lineup. When the halftime buzzer sounds they start marching right onto the field.

There are some great bands out there, I liked the stuff Saluda's band did after the game last week, but some are not good. There is no reason you should butcher the national anthem by missing important notes. There is no reason the same song should be played over and over and over for 2 quarters (the band here takes most of the 2nd and all of the 3rd quarters off). There is no reason it should take 10 minutes of half time for a band to get on the field when they started tuning and moving stuff with 9 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. There is no reason the band should look in amazement that the football team is coming out to warm up for the 2nd half with 3 minutes left in half time because they want more time after taking 10 minutes to get started.

Like I said, I have seen some great bands that are on top of their game, but I have seen some really bad ones also. Its a joy to see the bands that are prepared and know what to do, its painful to watch the bands that can't get it together.

The band plays an important role in high school football, and it is dying in many areas, but I hope it stays. I hope it gets better here, but I hope it atleast stays.